Thursday, December 10, 2015

I love simple one-pot meals. I usually check out the "one-pan dinner" page of my mother-in-law's Cook's Country magazine for some ideas. This recipe came from a recent issue and my family called it a winner. I further simplified the recipe by using my home-canned pizza sauce for the sauce.

You can let out the spinach if you wish, but even my children didn't complain about the green stuff in this recipe.

Three-Cheese Pasta with Sausage and Spinach
(adapted from Cook's Country)

Mural of Seasoning is a spice from Penzey's that I love on just about everything - roasted potatoes, vegetables, meat, etc. My homemade version is not nearly like the real thing, I'm sure. But I like it just the same.

Monday, November 30, 2015

Today is a drizzly dreary day, perfect for holing up in the house and working on some Christmas projects. I've been at the sewing machine most of the afternoon and think I can finish up two sewing projects today. Such fun to strike projects off the list.

This is why I like to start Christmas preparations early. I enjoy these projects so much more when I have no time pressure.

This is mailing week. But I'm skipping sending Christmas mail this year. I'd rather wait and send out a baby birth announcement in January.

I know that with social media, sending a yearly Christmas update is fast becoming obsolete. I'm one of those strange folks that actually enjoy writing a family Christmas newsletter. It is fun to look back over the year and compile a review. Especially when Ed gives me a crazy idea like last year's Christmas card/letter. I'm still hearing from some who say that their children ask them to reread that Christmas card often - a compliment I never received before and proof that it wasn't your typical card. But the downside is that now I feel pressure to beat last year's creativity.

And I don't like pressure. So a note to all my real-life, snail-mail friends - expect my next Christmas letter to be the most boring you've read. Ever.

But even though I'm not doing Christmas letters this year, I hope some of my friends are. I love getting the mail in December. It is such a treat to find something beyond bills and advertisements in the mailbox. Whether it is a friend I only hear from once a year or see every week at church, I love the smiling family photos and letters (and no, none of them are the least bit boring.)

And this ends the Christmas Countdown. For the month of December you are on your own to complete your projects and enjoy special time with your family and friends.

Thursday, November 26, 2015

I
once said that mothers couldn't get sick. I was blessed with good
health and couldn't remember when I was sick for longer than a day.
But a bad cold hit me the week before Thanksgiving. And it refused to
leave.

Don't
pity me. I wasn't deathly ill, just miserable. I continued to care
for my children - as much as I could from the couch. Casseroles from the freezer
supplied our meals. Cleaning was non-existent. After I lost my voice, homeschooling
entered survival mode.

My
husband added household tasks on top of all his normal
responsibilities. I was grateful for his help but typically I measure
the success of my day by what I accomplish. Holding down the couch
didn't qualify. I coughed like a chain smoker and could not sleep,
but worse, I now felt like a total failure as a wife, homemaker, and
mother.

God
was working on me.

He wanted me to discover joy in Him, not in my
accomplishments. He longed for me to be thankful for the
circumstances He placed me in and to find fulfillment in serving Him
with my whole being – coughs and all.

The
calendar reminded me that I had promised to visit an inmate. She had
attended the Bible study at our local detention center and now had
moved to a long-term prison facility in the city. I managed to feel good enough to keep the appointment. It was a scary, new
experience to visit a large city prison. The high walls ribbed with
rolls of barb wire silhouetted in the November darkness echoed the
hard, cold eyes of inmates held in sin's night.

Next
time my gratefulness needs a boost, I'll remember to visit a
prisoner.

Or the homeless.

Or the sick.

Spending time with those who
have far greater problems than mine drove me to sheepishly return to
my Father and say "Thank you for my problems – my cough, my
hyper children, my dirty house.”

God
doesn't reserve His lessons on gratefulness to one day of the year at
Thanksgiving. This year, a visit behind prison walls demonstrated the
prison of ungratefulness where I resided. Thankfully, His Word holds
the key to unlock the gate.

And
let the peace of God rule in your hearts...and be ye thankful. (Colossians 3:15)

And
whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord
Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. (Colossians 3:17)

In
every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus
concerning you. (1
Thessalonians 5:18)

Freedom
is found when my joy is based – not on my circumstances, but on the
One who rules my heart.

Katrina Hoover traveled to Jordan and Lebanon a couple months ago to listen and record Syrian refugees' stories. I enjoyed following along in her journey through Katrina's blog.

Katrina was joined by Rosetta Byers as photographer. Together the two made a photo book to share a perspective of the Syrian refugees that most of us will never have since we can not meet them personally.

Faces of Syria is a lovely book with full page photos on every spread. The book is brief yet poignant, sharing in a few of their own words the heartbreak and suffering these lovely people have experienced.

I want to share the needs of the world with my children in a safe way. I want them to know that not everyone has as comfortable life as they do. Since we don't have television, my children know very little about the world news. But we've been praying for the refugees and this book was a perfect way for them to get a glimpse into this crisis. With the many photos of children, it appealed instantly with my children and we were able to read about their lives in Syria and why they had to flee their homes.

The goal of Faces of Syria is to prompt us to pray for the people of Syria. To look at these photos and into the eyes of these precious children makes my heart long to bring hope to their hearts. And I know that prayer can reach through miles and borders and bring that hope.

As we near Thanksgiving and enjoy the many blessings we have been given, take time to remember those who have long for the lost days of peaceful homes and warm family times.

I'm not sure what the week will hold for our family. More than likely we won't do anything extra-ordinary, but Ed has a few days off work so just spending time together is always enjoyable.

The children are already talking about baking Christmas cookies, so I'm hoping to spend at least one evening this week with the sprinkles and cookie cutters. Likely the bulk of the baking won't be done until next week. I do like to have most cookie baking done at the beginning of December so that we can pull out Christmas cookies to take to various events throughout the month.

I'd love to hear about your family's baking traditions. What recipe do you look forward to making (or eating) every year?

I adapted this recipe from Southern Living. I use whole wheat flour. I suppose I want to pretend I'm making it better for me, but of course this is still firmly in the dessert category. You are welcome to use white flour if you prefer

Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 2 minutes while stirring. Remove from heat and cool at least 15 minutes before serving. Store in fridge for up to a week. You will not need all of the caramel for this coffee cake, but it makes a great apple dip or ice cream topping.

Beat butter and sugar. Beat in eggs. Mix in flour, baking powder, salt, milk, and vanilla. Pour batter into 9x13 pan. Top with apples. Drizzle with 1/2 cup caramel sauce. Sprinkle with all of the streusel topping.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. Cool for at least one hour. Drizzle with 1/2 cup of caramel sauce immediately before serving. Store cake in fridge.

Monday, November 16, 2015

A friend asked me this past week if I was keeping up with this Christmas countdown and had all my Christmas shopping done.

No, not even close. Most days I'm not getting anything done besides the basic cooking/cleaning/childcare. Time for extra projects of any sort is rare these days.

And that is okay. I'm not doing this Christmas countdown to make me or anyone else to feel behind. There is still plenty of time before Christmas. But for me, this countdown means that I have begun. I have made some lists and when I do find a few spare minutes, I'm making tiny steps of progress.

Some days, just beginning is the hardest step. So I'm happy about starting even if I can't brag of completed projects.

This week is grocery shopping week and this is actually one task I have accomplished.

Last week my mom was keeping my children for me while I had an appointment so I took the opportunity to stop at the grocery store and do a major stock-up. It is rare for me to go shopping without my children and I made the trip worthwhile. My cart was heaped so high I could barely push it. It felt so good to have that project done.

I had more than Christmas on my mind. I bought newborn diapers and other items that I want on hand before the baby is due. As much as I hate shopping, it is a relief to have this checked off my list.

Of course I'll be at the grocery store again in the next weeks, but at least I was able to stockpile many of the non-perishables.

What about you? Will you be hitting some of the grocery sales in the weeks before Thanksgiving to stockpile some grocery basics?

Monday, November 9, 2015

I hate crowds. And I hate last minute stress. My goal each year is to be finished with Christmas shopping by Thanksgiving. I don't always meet the goal, but at least I can be close to completion.

I get a thrill out of seeing Black Friday sales and knowing that I don't need to worry about fighting crowds to save a few bucks.

We don't do a lot of Christmas gift buying compared to some, but starting early is a way to make sure we make wise choices and not just desperately grabbing anything that will possibly fit the occasion.

Thursday, November 5, 2015

I've been dragging my feet. I can still remember the trials I put my mom through when she taught me to sew. One skirt in particular had nearly every seam torn out as I sewed the pieces inside out and upside down. I just didn't know if I could be a patient teacher and I didn't want my daughter to have bad memories about sewing because of a frustrated mom.

But I think (or hope) my mom would say that teaching me to sew was worth it. At least it did not discourage her from teaching my younger sisters to sew. And I'm grateful to have the skills now. If my daughter had an interest, maybe I should at least try.

It doesn't seem long ago that I first taught her hand sewing with an embroidery patch. I thought my patience would be worn out on that first day. I had to sit beside her and help with each stitch otherwise she was putting her needle into the wrong side of the fabric and stitching her skirt to her patch. I didn't know that it was possible to get so many knots in one piece of thread.

But since then she has mastered many different stitches and demonstrated that she has the patience to complete numerous pieces. And she can knots out of thread without my help at all.

Two or three years ago she cut out squares from scrap fabric and sewed the rows together with the sewing machine to make a comforter for her bed. She struggled with making straight seams but I thought she did well for her age.

But I also thought she needed a year or two before we tackled another project. Or maybe it was mom who needed more time.

Now I figured it was time to move onto the next step in teaching her to sew. If I could just move past my reluctance. (Maybe fear?)

So last week we gave it a start. We cut out two dresses. I taught my daughter how to pin the pieces together and she helped to sew all the straight seems. She also learned how to press the seams open. I sewed all the curved seams but it was a great start. She is eager to sew again, and I think I'm eager to try again too.

And we were all pleased with the final result.

But now I'm asking for your help. Do any of you have hints on teaching a young seamstress to sew? What are good projects to attempt? Do you have any books/patterns that have worked well?

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

With outdoor work finished, I'm eager to pull out the sewing machine and sew again. Last week I sewed some dresses for my daughters. This week my goal is to make some new coverings for myself. Maybe then I can dream up some Christmas projects.

Sew Mama Sew always has a November series on Handcraft Holiday that inspires me every year with their ideas and free tutorials. I'm sure I'll have several new craft ideas before the month is out!

Saturday, October 31, 2015

I'm always amused at the difference between spring and fall in the garden.

Or at least in my attitude toward the garden.

In the spring I can't wait to get outside and any day that is reasonably nice weather I find some excuse to be outdoors. I count down the days until it is safe to plant the garden and long for fresh picked vegetables.

In the fall, no longer does it seem urgent to enjoy the sunshine. I don't make the most of my garden opportunity; I'm even guilty of letting some of those wonderful veggies go to waste.

I just don't care.

But I have found that if I ignore the garden in the fall, I pay the price in the spring. It is no fun to find garden hoses and tomato cages still in the garden in March.

Two weeks ago we had our first frost. And it wasn't a light frost. It was a hard killing frost - the kind that makes the grass crunchy and hangs ice on the clothes line.

I was glad that the week before we had cleaned up most of the garden, pulling out the tomato cages and harvesting the last peppers and eggplant. I had also planted garlic.

Last week the children helped me several afternoons and we cut down all the old perennial plants such as asparagus, red raspberries, and the perennial flower beds.

It felt like a big job, at least for my pregnant body, and I couldn't have done it without the children's help. But now I can say that my outdoor work is completely finished. I have a few cabbage heads in the garden, but now I'm spending my time indoors, enjoying nesting.

As Ed mows the grass this fall (which hasn't been growing fast with the cooler weather and lack of rain) he chops up the fallen leaves and spreads this mixture of leaves and grass on all the perennial beds.

In some of the beds, such as this very weedy asparagus patch, we put down cardboard beside (not over) the asparagus crowns.

This mulch will be a huge time saver next spring and hopefully curtail some of our weed problems.

I have a few greens (lettuce, spinach, and kale) growing in the cold frame by the basement. I wish this was stuffed full, but the dry fall and my late planting means the growth is rather sparse. Still, we'll enjoy a few fresh salads.

Here is my late fall garden goal list.

1. Plant garlic. (October)

2. Trim off perennial plants.

3. Mulch perennial beds with chopped leaves.

4. Drain garden hoses, pull out tomato cages, clean up tools, and tidy the garden shed for the winter.

5. Write down notes from this year's garden to aid in garden planning next year.

Friday, October 30, 2015

I've made this recipe several times this fall. Even though it has several different layers, it isn't difficult to make.

This recipe has been in my files for a while and I don't remember where I first found it. The original recipe was to be made in a spring-form pan. I prefer making it in a 9x13 pan. The bars are then easier to cut, though they are thinner.

Monday, October 26, 2015

This week is Supplies Week. With the lists you made last week, next we will inventory the non-perishable supplies we need for crafting, baking, wrapping, and decorating.

Last week was crazy busy around our house. It is a relief to look at this next week and see nothing much planned.

But last week was successful in finishing up a number of projects, such as cleaning up the flower beds and making applesauce. I'm excited to do some fall projects now - such as organizing the children's winter clothing and sewing.

Friday, October 23, 2015

This week we had the fun of honoring my mom's 60th birthday with a tea party.

In my family, the females are far outnumbered by the menfolk, so it was special get together with just the girls.

The most popular guest was the newborn son of my sister-in-law - even if though he did break the all-girl attendance. Our girlie got some practice in being a big sister.

I'm not an experienced tea party hostess but I picked the brain of my talented friend, Regina, and drafted help from my sisters. My children had fun setting the table. Fall is such a fun time to decorate.

Monday, October 19, 2015

In this stage of life, I get very good at making lists, not because of Christmas, but because of the pending birth of our baby in January.

Whether it is nesting or just a good excuse to get some extra projects done, I have been making lists of all the things I wish to accomplish the next two or three months. My Christmas plans look small in comparison.

Ed pulls me back to reality by reminding me that there is only one thing that is necessary to do before this baby is born - go to the store and buy a box of diapers.

While I love my lists - and the fulfillment I get from checking things off the list - I do want to hold my lists with hands open. God might have different plans for the next months. I don't want to become so focused on my lists that I ignore the people God has put in my life, or worse, treat those people like projects to be completed and checked off.

Read last year's post to be inspired on your lists - and gain insights from David on how to hold your lists.

Friday, October 16, 2015

Do
you have a son (or daughter) who is enthralled with building projects?

Here are some favorite pictures books for elementary-age
children that will bring to life some of the amazing construction
projects in America still standing today. These books all passed, not only my children's attention test, but also their mother's.

Lincoln
was only a boy when his father, sculptor Gutzon Borglum, suggested
carving four presidents' faces into a South Dakota mountain. But
without Lincoln's help, this bold project would have never been
completed. The astounding accomplishment of Mt. Rushmore is told,
accompanied with great illustrations.

Robert
thinks his father has the best job as an iron worker on the Golden
Gate Bridge in San Francisco. But when an accident occurs, he
realizes that each worker is important. A well-illustrated book that
includes historical information about the bridge.

Follow
four boys, a French metal worker, a sailor, a New York newsboy, and
an iron worker—as they contribute to the building of the Statue of
Liberty. Children interested in construction will pour over the
detailed drawings that add interest and historical accuracy to each
boy's story. The writing feels a bit stilted but the book has much to
offer.

A
parallel story that tells of a young Russian girl on a journey to
America and an artist with a bold vision for a statue that celebrates
America's freedom. A reminder of the determination and persistence
that made the Statue of Liberty, and a new home in America, a
reality.

This
book (and the others in the “You Wouldn't Want to...” series)
take a humorous and sometimes sarcastic look at famous events. The
illustrations are comic-style and are a hit with children, especially
action-loving boys. But the historical information is solid, and this
book gave a good overview of the challenges that faced the builders
of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City.

The
amazing Brooklyn Bridge has been completed, but many are scared to
walk on the new bridge. Everyone but Hannah. With the help of
Barnum's twenty-one elephants, Hannah proves the Brooklyn Bridge is
safe. A well-illustrated story based on a true event.

The
1930's was a discouraging time for many Americans but the Empire
State Building brought hope. This is the incredible story of one of
the world's most famous buildings and the men, called sky boys, who
dared the heights. Well-researched book combines with great drawings
to make it worth your time.

Do you have any favorite children's book on building projects to add to this list?

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Last year my porch was stacked with long-neck pumpkins (otherwise known as butternut squash). This year was a pumpkin growing failure but a friend gave us two huge neck pumpkins. I cooked one of the pumpkins and it made over 30 pint of pureed pumpkin!

But we love all the many ways to enjoy pumpkin, so it is a delight to have such abundance.

I was sorting through my pumpkin recipes and realized there are a lot of pumpkin recipes shared here at Home Joys through the years. I decided to make a index with links for the recipes to make it easier for you and I to find our favorites.

LinkWithin

Subscribe by Email

Our Family

Search This Blog

Welcome! I am Gina, a Mennonite mom who loves serving the Lord, my husband, and dear children (ages 13,11,10,8,3, and1). This is where I ramble about books, broccoli, and baking bread. In May of 2017 my husband was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer so I'll include notes from our cancer journey.